This invention relates to a golf swing training device and to a method of training a player""s golf swing.
A previous device for training the swing of a person playing golf determines the speed, direction and orientation of the club face in the area in which the club face contacts a golf ball.
Problems arise with the above mentioned device because it is not able to indicate the height of the club head as it passes through the ball striking area. The height of the club head is clearly important because it gives the position of the club head relative to the ball being struck. Incorrect location could result in a ball being struck incorrectly.
It is an object of the present invention to address the above mentioned disadvantages.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf swing trainer which has a club head height indication means for the club head as it passes through the ball striking area.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of training a person""s golf swing to more accurately control the height of the club head as it passes through the ball striking area.
According to one aspect of the present invention a golf swing trainer comprises a golf club portion and a mat portion, the golf club portion comprising a shaft section and a head section, which head section has a section which is electrically conducting, the mat portion providing a surface on which to practise a golf swing and including at least one electrical contact, wherein indicator means of the trainer are operable to be activated when contact is made between the electrically conducting section of the head section and the or each electrical contact.
Preferably the electrically conducting section is a section of a sole portion of the head section. Preferably, the sole portion additionally includes an electrically non-conducting section. The electrically non-conducting section is preferably larger than the electrically conducting section.
The electrically conducting section of the sole portion may be elongate. The electrically conducting section may be located along a front edge of the sole portion. The electrically conducting section may be located along a leading edge of the head section of the golf club portion, which leading edge is the foremost part of the head section. The electrically conducting section may extend substantially along the length of the head section.
The electrically conducting section may be flush with the non-conducting section, to provide a smooth outer surface of the sole portion. The electrically conducting section may be flush with a front face of the head section, to provide a smooth striking face for striking a ball.
The electrically non-conducting section may be located to the rear of the electrically conducting section. The electrically non-conducting section may have a flat shape or may have a curved, preferably outwardly curved, shape.
The shaft section of the golf club portion may be inclined in a forward direction when the sole portion is generally parallel to an upper surface of the mat portion. The inclination of the shaft may encourage an intended downward swing in a user of the golf swing trainer.
The rear section of the sole portion may be lower than a front section of the sole portion, when the shaft of the club portion is in a generally vertical orientation. The angle made between a line extending forward from the sole portion and parallel thereto and an axis of the shaft is preferably less than 90xc2x0.
The or each electrical contact may project preferably by a small amount, above an upper surface of the mat, to allow contact to be made between the conducting section and the or each electrical contact.
The or each contact may be received in a recess in the mat. The or each electrical contact may be elongate. The long axis of the or each electrical contact may be aligned generally in the direction of swing of the golf club portion. The length of the or each contact may be chosen to suit a particular level of difficulty associated with use of the trainer; a longer contact may be chosen for an easier level, with a shorter contact for greater difficulty.
Preferably, at least one pair of electrical contacts is provided, in which the electrically conducting portion of the golf club is arranged to complete an electrical circuit by bridging said at least one pair of electrical contacts.
Where two electrical contacts are provided, the contacts may form two ends of an open circuit that includes the indicator means and a power supply. The open circuit may be closable by means of the electrically conducting portion of the golf club contacting both contacts, thereby causing the indicator means to be activated. Where two electrical contacts are provided, they may be arranged in a xe2x80x98Vxe2x80x99-shaped configuration, preferably converging generally in the direction of swing of the golf club portion.
The electrical contacts may comprise at least two lengths of a plurality of electrical contacts, the contacts in each length preferably being connected together in series. Said lengths of electrical contacts may be arranged for interleaving location adjacent to one another. An electrical connection made between two contacts of the two lengths of electrical contacts may result in completion of the electrical circuit. Contact between any one of the electrical contacts on one length with any one of the electrical contacts on another length may be sufficient to complete the circuit. The electrical contacts from both lengths may be arranged linearly. A plurality of pairs of lengths of electrical contacts may be provided, with electrical contact between any two electrical contacts of a pair of lengths being sufficient to complete the electrical circuit.
Each electrical contact may be connected separately to a control means of the golf swing trainer.
The electrical contacts may extend through the mat portion in tubular contact receiving sections, in which case the electrical contacts may be elongate wires. In such a case, the electrical contacts may protrude slightly above the tubular contact receiving sections. A plurality of tubular contact receiving sections may be provided to allow electrical contact to be made between one group of electrical contacts and another group of electrical contacts to complete the electrical circuit. The electrical contacts in each group may be arranged in a brush configuration. Each group of electrical contacts may be separated by an insulating portion of the mat. The groups of contacts may be arranged in linear patterns.
The mat may include an upwardly projecting contact guard. The guard may be located behind the or each contact. The guard may project upwards to prevent a sweeping, horizontal, swing of the golf club portion from making contact with the electrical contacts. The guard may encourage a more vertical angle of approach to the electrical contacts than would otherwise have been possible with the golf club portion in the absence of the contact guard.
The guard may be wedge shaped, preferably tapering towards the contacts. The contact may be removable. Different sizes of guard may be provided. The guard may be made of compressible material.
The trainer may include a tether portion arranged to limit the length of back swing of a person using the trainer. The tether may be secured at one end of the golf club portion, preferably close to the head section thereof, and at another end to the mat portion, preferably behind the electrical contact(s). The length of the tether may be variable to suit different users and different sizes of golf club.
The tether may be electrically conducting and may be in electrical contact with the electrically conducting section of the golf club sole portion. In this case, an open electrical circuit may be formed with the electrical conducting portion and one electrical contact as ends of that open circuit.
The circuit may be closed by the electrically conducting portion touching the contact. The circuit may also include the indicator means and a power source.
The indicator means may operate visually, aurally or both.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of practising training a golf swing comprises swinging a golf club portion of a golf swing trainer and attempting to complete an electrical circuit in a mat portion of the trainer with an electrically conducting section of a head section of the golf club portion, the mat portion including at least one electrical contact which is electrically connected to indicator means, said indicator means indicating when the electrically conducting portion has completed the electrical circuit.
The invention extends to a golf club for a golf swing trainer having a sole portion, a section of which is electrically conducting and a section of which is electrically non-conducting.
The invention also extends to a golf club having a shaft section which is inclined in a forward direction when a sole portion thereof is generally horizontally aligned.
The forward inclination may be at an angle of between about 1xc2x0 and 45xc2x0. The forward inclination may be between about 5xc2x0 and 25xc2x0.
The invention extends to a golf swing training device, in which a golf club portion has a tether attached between the golf club portion and a mat portion of the trainer, the tether being arranged to limit the length of the back swing of a person using the trainer.
All of the above aspects may be combined with any of the features of the invention disclosed herein, in any combination.